


Stay With Me

by elirwen



Category: Merlin (TV) RPF
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-14
Updated: 2015-03-14
Packaged: 2018-03-17 21:06:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 855
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3543776
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elirwen/pseuds/elirwen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After filming the scene of Arthur's death all afternoon, they're both exhausted emotionally and physically. But it seems the day took bigger toll on Colin.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Stay With Me

By the time the director shouts his “we’re done for today, good job everyone,” Colin’s fingers are freezing cold against Bradley’s skin. They’ve spent hours shooting this scene, it being the pivotal moment of the whole series. Everyone wants to bring the script’s meaningfulness to the screen, to show all the friendship and devotion, the final acceptance and gratitude. 

They’re both tired, exhausted even. Not that stranger would notice Colin’s tiredness. He’s always professional and composed, smiling, engaging in polite chatter, charming as usual. But when you know what to look for, you can see the tiny change in his posture, the barely there tightness around his eyes.

“I think we deserve some pizza tonight,” Bradley says, bumping their shoulders together. 

It earns him a small smile, the first one since he ‘died’ for the 15th time.

“You always think we deserve pizza after a day of shooting,” Colin answers, but Bradley knows he’s not against the idea.

 

~x~

 

They wait for their pizza in Colin’s room, too exhausted to do more than stare at the ceiling and enjoy the soft mattress under their bodies instead of the cold, hard ground. 

Bradley’s the one to get their delivery, humming appreciatively at the delicious smell escaping the warm boxes. Veggie for Colin, Mexicana for Bradley. 

They watch a re-run of Doctor Who while eating, just to fill the silence. The tension hasn’t left Colin’s body yet, not even after Bradley kisses his lips lightly and links their fingers together.

 

~x~

 

“I should take a shower,” Bradley says, once again sprawled on his back on the bed, sated and sleepy.

Colin’s fingers tighten their hold on his hand. Not by much, but Bradley notices.

“Stay with me,” he says and Bradley is thrown back to earlier in the day, the words slipping past Merlin’s lips, barely audible.

Seeing Colin’s current unreadable expression, he’s no longer certain those words were just Merlin’s to Arthur.

“Are you sure? I’ve been in that armour all day,” Bradley says, caressing Colin’s forearm.

“I don’t care,” comes Colin’s reply, his accent so thick shivers run down Bradley’s spine. 

“Come here,” Bradley whispers, shifts closer and opens his arms for Colin to snuggle to him and once he does, he wraps them around Colin’s too tense body.

They lie like that for a while, Colin’s warmth pulling Bradley closer to sleep, until Colin presses even closer suddenly, his hand gripping Bradley’s side almost painfully hard. His body is rigid now, shaking slightly.

“Colin…” Bradley murmurs, burying his hand in Colin’s hair, petting him gently. This is completely new. He’s not sure what else to do.

Thankfully, it’s enough to trigger a reaction from Colin. He melts into Bradley’s embrace, a strangled sob leaving his lips. 

Let’s be honest here, Bradley is freaking out internally. Colin is a textbook example of an introvert. He can cry and grieve for camera, but that’s all an act. He rarely lets others know he’s worried or sad. He never breaks down in front of people.

Except he just did right in Bradley’s arms.

“It’s okay,” Bradley whispers, his own throat tight as he hears and feels the hitching of Colin’s breath. “Just let it out. It’ll be better in a minute,” he’s babbling. 

True to his words, it doesn’t take long for Colin’s breathing to settle down and for the rest of the tension to leave his body. 

“Sorry,” he mumbles into Bradley’s shoulder. “Seeing you die 47 times in one day was a bit too much. It felt too real towards the end.”

“That would be the fault of my brilliant acting skills,” Bradley says, trying to lighten the mood.

It works and Colin chuckles, turning his head up to grant Bradley a kiss, chaste and sweet. 

“Always so modest, Mr. James,” he says, his breath ghosting over Bradley’s lips.

“You know me so well, Mr. Morgan,” Bradley says and seals their lips together once more. 

 

~x~

 

“We should get out of these clothes at least,” Colin says.

They’re still wrapped around each other, gently petting the other’s sensitive zones. Bradley only hums in agreement as Colin presses his knuckles harder against his lower back, but he’s not very eager to move and end the blissful roaming of Colin’s hand. Instead he scratches Colin’s scalp again, earning himself a pleased sigh and a kiss on his neck. 

“Or not,” Colin mumbles into his skin.

It takes a bit of shuffling around, but in the end they manage to get under the blankets and Colin’s warm hand worms its way under Bradley’s T-shirt, going back to its previous work.

“Will you be okay tomorrow?” Bradley asks. They’re doing another scene for the finale in the morning. 

“I’m fine already,” Colin says. “But I would appreciate it if you didn’t do any real dying. Ever.”

Bradley huffs out a laugh. 

“I’ll do my best,” he says and seals the promise with a kiss.

“Good,” Colin replies.

“Same goes for you, okay?” Bradley says, but Colin is already asleep, completely pliant in his arms.

Bradley follows his lead without hesitation, soothed into slumber by steady rhythm of Colin’s breathing.


End file.
